一、Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension
1、Question 1 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、A driving test.
B、A video game.
C、Traffic routes.
D、Cargo logistics.
解析：
听力原文
W: (1) [This is unbelievable! Unlike any video game I’ve ever played before, it’s so boring yet so relaxing at the same time.] How did you hear about this driving simulator?
M: My brother introduced it to me last year. (2) [I was surprised to find how educational and realistic it was.] It’s called Euro Truck Simulator, but they have other versions as well for America and so on. I was really drawn to the scenery. The routes go through parts of the country you don’t normally see as a tourist.
W: Yeah, I can see that. It seems so simple, just transporting cargo from point A to point B, driving from one city to another. (3) [But I really appreciate all the details that go into the game. It’s even given me a new appreciation for the logistics industry and traffic on the road.]
M: I completely agree. My brother also introduced me to some videos of someone that streamed their game online. It was fascinating to watch really. This guy drove very carefully, obeyed all the road signs and traffic rules. Such a contrast to most violent games!
W: Honestly, playing has inspired me to look into the industry more. I’ve read articles about how self-driving trucks may soon be available and could greatly impact cargo logistics. Considering all that goes into driving these larger vehicles, it’s amazing that we could soon have that kind of technology.
M: Ha, I’ve got one step further. I registered to take a safe-driving course to improve my real-life driving skills. In a way, I feel like I have a head start compared to other students in the class. Playing this video game has given me some maneuvering practices already.
W: I’m not sure how accurate the video game is compared to real-life situations. (4) [But if it results in more drivers looking both ways before entering an intersection, I’d say that’s a positive outcome.]
1. What are the speakers mainly talking about? （两位谈话者主要在谈论什么？）
解析：B。录音最开始女士提到，这款游戏和她之前玩过的电子游戏（video game）都不一样，它非常无聊，但很让人放松，随后又问到男士是怎么知道这个模拟驾驶游戏的。接下来的对话中，两位谈话者一直围绕Euro Truck Simulator，即《欧洲卡车模拟》进行讨论，可知两人谈话的主题就是这款电子游戏，故选B。
错项排除：录音后半部分提到男士报了一门安全驾驶课（safe-driving course），但并没有提到是否要参加驾驶考试，故A项排除。C项利用男士提到的routes设置干扰，但男士说的是游戏里的路线（routes）会穿越某个国家的某些地区，这属于游戏中的细节内容，C项以偏概全，故排除。D项利用录音中提到的cargo和后半部分再次提到的cargo logistics设置干扰，但女士前面说的是游戏里设置的任务就是在两个地点之间运送货物，后面说的是她因为这个游戏而对物流产业有了新的认识，这两部分都只是谈话的部分内容，不是谈话的主题，故D项错误。
2、Question 2 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、He found it instructive and realistic.
B、He bought it when touring Europe.
C、He was really drawn to its other versions.
D、He introduced it to his brother last year.
解析：
听力原文
W: (1) [This is unbelievable! Unlike any video game I’ve ever played before, it’s so boring yet so relaxing at the same time.] How did you hear about this driving simulator?
M: My brother introduced it to me last year. (2) [I was surprised to find how educational and realistic it was.] It’s called Euro Truck Simulator, but they have other versions as well for America and so on. I was really drawn to the scenery. The routes go through parts of the country you don’t normally see as a tourist.
W: Yeah, I can see that. It seems so simple, just transporting cargo from point A to point B, driving from one city to another. (3) [But I really appreciate all the details that go into the game. It’s even given me a new appreciation for the logistics industry and traffic on the road.]
M: I completely agree. My brother also introduced me to some videos of someone that streamed their game online. It was fascinating to watch really. This guy drove very carefully, obeyed all the road signs and traffic rules. Such a contrast to most violent games!
W: Honestly, playing has inspired me to look into the industry more. I’ve read articles about how self-driving trucks may soon be available and could greatly impact cargo logistics. Considering all that goes into driving these larger vehicles, it’s amazing that we could soon have that kind of technology.
M: Ha, I’ve got one step further. I registered to take a safe-driving course to improve my real-life driving skills. In a way, I feel like I have a head start compared to other students in the class. Playing this video game has given me some maneuvering practices already.
W: I’m not sure how accurate the video game is compared to real-life situations. (4) [But if it results in more drivers looking both ways before entering an intersection, I’d say that’s a positive outcome.]
2. What does the man say about the driving simulator?（关于模拟驾驶游戏，男士说了什么？）
解析：A。录音开头部分男士提到，他惊讶地发现这款游戏不仅寓教于乐，而且还很逼真。A项中的instructive对应录音中的educational，realistic为原词复现，故A项为正确答案。
错项排除：B项利用录音中提到的Euro和tourist设置干扰，但男士说的是游戏的名字叫《欧洲卡车模拟》，后面说的是在游戏中看到的景色和以游客身份在欧洲国家游览的体验不同，B项属于细节拼凑，故排除。C项利用drawn to和other versions设置干扰，但录音中男士提到的是《欧洲卡车模拟》还有美国和其他地区地图的版本，男士是被游戏中的景色所吸引，并不是被其他版本的游戏所吸引，故C项排除。录音中男士说是他的哥哥将游戏推荐给了他，并非是他把游戏推荐给他哥哥，故D项排除。
3、Question 3 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、Travelling all over the country.
B、Driving from one city to another.
C、The details in the driving simulator.
D、The key role of the logistics industry.
解析：
听力原文
W: (1) [This is unbelievable! Unlike any video game I’ve ever played before, it’s so boring yet so relaxing at the same time.] How did you hear about this driving simulator?
M: My brother introduced it to me last year. (2) [I was surprised to find how educational and realistic it was.] It’s called Euro Truck Simulator, but they have other versions as well for America and so on. I was really drawn to the scenery. The routes go through parts of the country you don’t normally see as a tourist.
W: Yeah, I can see that. It seems so simple, just transporting cargo from point A to point B, driving from one city to another. (3) [But I really appreciate all the details that go into the game. It’s even given me a new appreciation for the logistics industry and traffic on the road.]
M: I completely agree. My brother also introduced me to some videos of someone that streamed their game online. It was fascinating to watch really. This guy drove very carefully, obeyed all the road signs and traffic rules. Such a contrast to most violent games!
W: Honestly, playing has inspired me to look into the industry more. I’ve read articles about how self-driving trucks may soon be available and could greatly impact cargo logistics. Considering all that goes into driving these larger vehicles, it’s amazing that we could soon have that kind of technology.
M: Ha, I’ve got one step further. I registered to take a safe-driving course to improve my real-life driving skills. In a way, I feel like I have a head start compared to other students in the class. Playing this video game has given me some maneuvering practices already.
W: I’m not sure how accurate the video game is compared to real-life situations. (4) [But if it results in more drivers looking both ways before entering an intersection, I’d say that’s a positive outcome.]
3. What does the woman say she really appreciates? （女士说她非常欣赏什么？）
解析：C。录音中间女士提到，她很欣赏游戏里的细节，这甚至让她对物流行业和道路交通有了新的认识。C项与录音内容一致，其中The details属于原词复现，故为正确答案。
错项排除：A项利用男士提到的see as a tourist设置干扰，但这并不是女士的观点，也没有提到女士喜欢到全国各地旅行，故A项排除。录音中女士提到transporting cargo from point A to point B, driving from one city to another，但这只是游戏的玩法，不是女士对游戏的欣赏之处，故B项排除。女士在录音后面提到这款游戏让她对物流行业和道路交通有了新的认识，但并没有提到物流行业的key role（关键作用），故D项排除。
4、Question 4 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、Clearer road signs.
B、More people driving safely.
C、Stricter traffic rules.
D、More self-driving trucks on the road.
解析：
听力原文
W: (1) [This is unbelievable! Unlike any video game I’ve ever played before, it’s so boring yet so relaxing at the same time.] How did you hear about this driving simulator?
M: My brother introduced it to me last year. (2) [I was surprised to find how educational and realistic it was.] It’s called Euro Truck Simulator, but they have other versions as well for America and so on. I was really drawn to the scenery. The routes go through parts of the country you don’t normally see as a tourist.
W: Yeah, I can see that. It seems so simple, just transporting cargo from point A to point B, driving from one city to another. (3) [But I really appreciate all the details that go into the game. It’s even given me a new appreciation for the logistics industry and traffic on the road.]
M: I completely agree. My brother also introduced me to some videos of someone that streamed their game online. It was fascinating to watch really. This guy drove very carefully, obeyed all the road signs and traffic rules. Such a contrast to most violent games!
W: Honestly, playing has inspired me to look into the industry more. I’ve read articles about how self-driving trucks may soon be available and could greatly impact cargo logistics. Considering all that goes into driving these larger vehicles, it’s amazing that we could soon have that kind of technology.
M: Ha, I’ve got one step further. I registered to take a safe-driving course to improve my real-life driving skills. In a way, I feel like I have a head start compared to other students in the class. Playing this video game has given me some maneuvering practices already.
W: I’m not sure how accurate the video game is compared to real-life situations. (4) [But if it results in more drivers looking both ways before entering an intersection, I’d say that’s a positive outcome.]
4. What outcome does the woman expect from the driving simulator?（女士希望模拟驾驶游戏能带来什么结果？）
解析：B。录音结尾女士提到，如果这款游戏能让更多司机在经过十字路口前看看左右两边，就是一种积极的结果。B项More people driving safely（更多人能安全驾驶）就是对女士说的it results in more drivers looking both ways before entering an intersection的总结，故B项为正确答案。
错项排除：A项利用录音中出现的road signs设置干扰，C项利用traffic rules设置干扰，但录音中说的是一位游戏直播玩家开车很谨慎，遵守所有的路标（obeyed all the road signs）和交通规则（traffic rules），并非女士希望这款游戏带来的结果，故A、C两项排除。女士虽然提到她读过一些文章，文章中说自动驾驶卡车即将面世，但这并不是模拟驾驶游戏带来的结果，故D项错误。
5、Question 5 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、It isn’t so enjoyable as he expected.
B、It isn’t so motivating as he believed.
C、It doesn’t enable him to earn as much money as he used to.
D、It doesn’t seem to offer as much freedom as he anticipated.
解析：
听力原文
W: How do you like being self-employed?‘
M: (5) [There are obvious benefits, though I don’t seem to have the freedom I anticipated as I just don’t seem able to decline work offers.] And working alone, there have been times when I’ve found that money alone provides insufficient motivation. Have you experienced the same since you began working for yourself?
W: Sometimes yes. Unlike the rest of the workforce who have managers to prompt motivation whenever they’re feeling lazy or bored, we self-employed workers perform our jobs without a manager to lift our spirits. There’s no one around to offer praise or initiate collaboration, no one to make greater use of our interests and talents.
M: That’s a fact. Not every manager behaves with such awareness and care, of course. (6) [And certainly not all managers have a clue how to motivate people.] Still, having a manager nearby at least indicates there’s an opportunity. They’ll be decent enough to look out for you when your energy and focus begin to deplete.
W: (7) [The motivator I value most is autonomy.] I’ve learned not to sacrifice my prized autonomy by working all hours of the day and by saying yes to every client request.
M: (7) [Yes. I need to remind myself that I selected this lifestyle for the independence.] I don’t miss aspects of permanent full-time employment I disliked, such as the office politics, job insecurity, inflexible hours and so on. I wouldn’t mind a bit more in the form of praise though—praise which is on the record.
W: That’ll come with time. (8) [Relatedness is inevitably cultivated via human interaction, engaging with clients, getting written testimony and recommendations, staying in contact with clients afterwards.] These are things you’ll find will come in due course and provide you with motivation.
M: (8) [You’re right. That’s an area I do need to put some more effort into—building closer relationships with those who engage my services and skills.]
5. What does the man say about his life of being self-employed?（男士关于自己的自由职业生活说了什么？）
解析：D。四个选项均以It isn’t或It doesn’t开头，并包含as/so...as he expected/believed/anticipated结构，推测问题可能与某样事物的现实与预期不符有关。录音开头女士问男士自由职业感觉如何，男士提到，当自由职业者很明显有些好处，虽然他并没有得到自己预期的自由。D项与此内容相符，其中seem to offer对应录音中的seem to have，freedom和anticipated属于原词复现，故为正确答案。
错项排除：录音中没有提到自由职业生活是否有趣，故A项排除。B项利用motivating设置干扰，但录音中男士提到单单靠金钱无法给他足够的工作动力（motivation），并没有提到自由职业本身是否令人充满动力，故B项排除。C项利用money设置干扰，但录音中说的是单单靠金钱（money）无法给他足够的工作动力，并没有提到全职工作是否赚得比自由职业更多，故C项排除。
6、Question 6 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、Not all of them care about their employees’ behaviors.
B、Few of them are aware of their employees’ feelings.
C、Few of them offer praise and reward to their employees.
D、Not all of them know how to motivate their employees.
解析：
听力原文
W: How do you like being self-employed?‘
M: (5) [There are obvious benefits, though I don’t seem to have the freedom I anticipated as I just don’t seem able to decline work offers.] And working alone, there have been times when I’ve found that money alone provides insufficient motivation. Have you experienced the same since you began working for yourself?
W: Sometimes yes. Unlike the rest of the workforce who have managers to prompt motivation whenever they’re feeling lazy or bored, we self-employed workers perform our jobs without a manager to lift our spirits. There’s no one around to offer praise or initiate collaboration, no one to make greater use of our interests and talents.
M: That’s a fact. Not every manager behaves with such awareness and care, of course. (6) [And certainly not all managers have a clue how to motivate people.] Still, having a manager nearby at least indicates there’s an opportunity. They’ll be decent enough to look out for you when your energy and focus begin to deplete.
W: (7) [The motivator I value most is autonomy.] I’ve learned not to sacrifice my prized autonomy by working all hours of the day and by saying yes to every client request.
M: (7) [Yes. I need to remind myself that I selected this lifestyle for the independence.] I don’t miss aspects of permanent full-time employment I disliked, such as the office politics, job insecurity, inflexible hours and so on. I wouldn’t mind a bit more in the form of praise though—praise which is on the record.
W: That’ll come with time. (8) [Relatedness is inevitably cultivated via human interaction, engaging with clients, getting written testimony and recommendations, staying in contact with clients afterwards.] These are things you’ll find will come in due course and provide you with motivation.
M: (8) [You’re right. That’s an area I do need to put some more effort into—building closer relationships with those who engage my services and skills.]
6. What does the man say about managers?（关于领导，男士说了什么？）
解析：D。四个选项均包含名词employees，推测题目可能会与工作或员工有关。录音中间部分男士说，也不是所有领导都知道应该怎样激励他人。D项与此内容相符，其中Not all of them对应录音中的not all managers，know对应录音中的have a clue，motivate为原词复现，故D项为正确答案。
错项排除：A项利用care、B项利用aware设置干扰，但录音中的awareness and care指的是并非所有管理者在察觉到员工怠惰时会意识到应该予以激励与关怀，而非A项中笼统的“关心员工的行为”，也非B项的“能体会到员工的感受”，故A、B两项排除。C项利用录音中出现的praise进行干扰，录音虽然提到自由职业者需要在没有领导激励的情况下完成工作，但这是女士的观点，并不是说很少有领导知道应如何表扬和奖励员工，故C项排除。
7、Question 7 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、Job satisfaction.
B、Self-awareness.
C、Autonomy.
D、Money.
解析：
听力原文
W: How do you like being self-employed?‘
M: (5) [There are obvious benefits, though I don’t seem to have the freedom I anticipated as I just don’t seem able to decline work offers.] And working alone, there have been times when I’ve found that money alone provides insufficient motivation. Have you experienced the same since you began working for yourself?
W: Sometimes yes. Unlike the rest of the workforce who have managers to prompt motivation whenever they’re feeling lazy or bored, we self-employed workers perform our jobs without a manager to lift our spirits. There’s no one around to offer praise or initiate collaboration, no one to make greater use of our interests and talents.
M: That’s a fact. Not every manager behaves with such awareness and care, of course. (6) [And certainly not all managers have a clue how to motivate people.] Still, having a manager nearby at least indicates there’s an opportunity. They’ll be decent enough to look out for you when your energy and focus begin to deplete.
W: (7) [The motivator I value most is autonomy.] I’ve learned not to sacrifice my prized autonomy by working all hours of the day and by saying yes to every client request.
M: (7) [Yes. I need to remind myself that I selected this lifestyle for the independence.] I don’t miss aspects of permanent full-time employment I disliked, such as the office politics, job insecurity, inflexible hours and so on. I wouldn’t mind a bit more in the form of praise though—praise which is on the record.
W: That’ll come with time. (8) [Relatedness is inevitably cultivated via human interaction, engaging with clients, getting written testimony and recommendations, staying in contact with clients afterwards.] These are things you’ll find will come in due course and provide you with motivation.
M: (8) [You’re right. That’s an area I do need to put some more effort into—building closer relationships with those who engage my services and skills.]
7. What do both speakers value most about self-employment?（关于自由职业，两名说话者都最看重的一点是什么？）
解析：C。录音中间女士说，她最重视的激励因素就是自主性，随后男士表示同意，也就是说两人都最看重自主性（autonomy），故C项正确。
错项排除：录音中没有提到工作的满足感，故A项排除。B项利用录音中出现的awareness设置干扰，但录音中是说不是所有管理人员都有激励员工的意识，并不是说说话者看重自我意识（Self-awareness），故B项排除。男士在录音开头提到单单靠金钱无法给他足够的工作动力，没有说他是否看重金钱，录音中也没有提及女士是否看重金钱，故D项排除。
8、Question 8 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、The importance of cultivating close relationships with clients.
B、The need for getting recommendations from their managers.
C、The advantages of permanent full-time employment.
D、The way to explore employees’ interests and talents.
解析：
听力原文
W: How do you like being self-employed?‘
M: (5) [There are obvious benefits, though I don’t seem to have the freedom I anticipated as I just don’t seem able to decline work offers.] And working alone, there have been times when I’ve found that money alone provides insufficient motivation. Have you experienced the same since you began working for yourself?
W: Sometimes yes. Unlike the rest of the workforce who have managers to prompt motivation whenever they’re feeling lazy or bored, we self-employed workers perform our jobs without a manager to lift our spirits. There’s no one around to offer praise or initiate collaboration, no one to make greater use of our interests and talents.
M: That’s a fact. Not every manager behaves with such awareness and care, of course. (6) [And certainly not all managers have a clue how to motivate people.] Still, having a manager nearby at least indicates there’s an opportunity. They’ll be decent enough to look out for you when your energy and focus begin to deplete.
W: (7) [The motivator I value most is autonomy.] I’ve learned not to sacrifice my prized autonomy by working all hours of the day and by saying yes to every client request.
M: (7) [Yes. I need to remind myself that I selected this lifestyle for the independence.] I don’t miss aspects of permanent full-time employment I disliked, such as the office politics, job insecurity, inflexible hours and so on. I wouldn’t mind a bit more in the form of praise though—praise which is on the record.
W: That’ll come with time. (8) [Relatedness is inevitably cultivated via human interaction, engaging with clients, getting written testimony and recommendations, staying in contact with clients afterwards.] These are things you’ll find will come in due course and provide you with motivation.
M: (8) [You’re right. That’s an area I do need to put some more effort into—building closer relationships with those who engage my services and skills.]
8. On what point does the man agree with the woman?（男士在哪一点上与女士的观点一致？）
解析：A。在录音结尾处，女士提出，如果男士想得到更多赞扬，就要加强与客户的来往（staying in contact with clients），男士表示同意，并表示自己要更加努力与客户建立更密切的联系（building closer relationship）。A项与此内容相符，其中的cultivating close relationships with clients是对building closer relationship with those...的同义转述，故A项为正确答案。
错项排除：B项利用录音中出现的recommendations设置干扰，但男士未就这一点表示同意，故排除。录音中虽然提到了全职工作的优点，但未提及与permanent（长期）相关的信息，故排除C项。D项利用录音中出现的interests and talents设置干扰，但录音中只是说没有人能让自由职业者更好地发挥兴趣和才能，未提及了解员工兴趣和天赋的方法，故排除D项。
9、Question 9 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、Consumers visualize their activities in different weather.
B、Good weather triggers consumers’ desire to go shopping.
C、Weather conditions influence consumers’ buying behavior.
D、Consumers’ mental states change with the prices of goods.
解析：
听力原文
Weather is a constant force in our lives, but there’s little marketing research on how it affects businesses. (9) [Now, a new study reveals how sunny and snowy conditions influence consumer behavior. Those weather conditions trigger consumers to mentally visualize using products associated with the respective weather. This leads to consumers placing a higher value on those products.] That is, they’re willing to pay more money for them. But the correlation is only found with products related to being outside.
How does this work? Researchers give the example of a beach towel. On a sunny day, consumers who see that product are not just looking at the towel itself. They are likely imagining themselves lying on the towel in the sun. (10) [This mental picture of using the towel increases the value of the product in the consumers’ mind.]
Researchers put forward the following hypothesis to explain their findings. They think the mental picture works in sunshine and snow because these weather conditions have a positive association with outside activities. The effect is not seen with rainy weather. Researchers assert this is because there aren’t many activities that are enabled by rain. Most products associated with rain like umbrellas are only used for protection from the weather and not for any activities.
Researchers believe that companies that sell a wide array of products online can benefit most from the insights this study provides. (11) [Online sellers often use complex mathematical formulas to determine what products to feature and how to price these products. Incorporating more data about weather would allow them to make better decisions.] This could bolster sales.
9. What do we learn about the findings of the new study?（我们可以从新研究的结论中了解到什么？）
解析：C。录音开头提到，现在有一项新的研究揭示了晴天和雪天对消费者行为的影响。这两种天气会促使消费者在心中设想使用与对应天气相关商品的情景，并会导致消费者对这些商品的价值认知变高。C项内容与录音一致，其中Weather conditions为原词复现，influence consumers’ buying behavior对应录音中的influence consumer behavior，故C项为正确答案。
错项排除：录音中提到，能够促使消费者在心中设想使用与天气相关商品的天气状况（Those weather conditions）是指前面提到的晴天或雪天，A项的in different weather（在不同的天气时）和visualize their activities（想象他们从事的活动），意思过于宽泛，无法替代录音中具体的内容，故A项错误。录音中只是提到特定天气会让消费者联想到自己使用与该天气相关的商品，不等同于说好天气就可以激发消费者的购买欲，故B项排除。录音中只是说在某些天气状况下，消费者对相关商品的价值认知会变高（increases the value of the product in the consumers’ mind），但并不是说消费者的心理状况（mental states）会随着商品价格的变化（the prices of goods）而变化，故D项排除。
10、Question 10 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、Active consumption.
B、Direct correlation.
C、Individual association.
D、Mental visualization.
解析：
听力原文
Weather is a constant force in our lives, but there’s little marketing research on how it affects businesses. (9) [Now, a new study reveals how sunny and snowy conditions influence consumer behavior. Those weather conditions trigger consumers to mentally visualize using products associated with the respective weather. This leads to consumers placing a higher value on those products.] That is, they’re willing to pay more money for them. But the correlation is only found with products related to being outside.
How does this work? Researchers give the example of a beach towel. On a sunny day, consumers who see that product are not just looking at the towel itself. They are likely imagining themselves lying on the towel in the sun. (10) [This mental picture of using the towel increases the value of the product in the consumers’ mind.]
Researchers put forward the following hypothesis to explain their findings. They think the mental picture works in sunshine and snow because these weather conditions have a positive association with outside activities. The effect is not seen with rainy weather. Researchers assert this is because there aren’t many activities that are enabled by rain. Most products associated with rain like umbrellas are only used for protection from the weather and not for any activities.
Researchers believe that companies that sell a wide array of products online can benefit most from the insights this study provides. (11) [Online sellers often use complex mathematical formulas to determine what products to feature and how to price these products. Incorporating more data about weather would allow them to make better decisions.] This could bolster sales.
10. What does the passage say may increase the value of products for consumers?（文章中指出，什么会提高商品在消费者心中的价值？）
解析：D。录音中间举了沙滩浴巾的例子来证明在晴天和雪天时，消费者会在心中设想使用相关户外用品的情景：消费者在晴天看到沙滩浴巾时，不仅仅会看到商品本身，还会想象自己躺在浴巾上晒太阳的情景，录音中接着指出，这幅心理图像提高了浴巾在消费者心中的价值。D项符合录音内容，Mental visualization对应录音中的This mental picture，故D项正确。
错项排除：录音中没有提到积极的消费对消费者心目中商品价值的影响，故A项排除。B项利用录音中出现的correlation（关联性）设置干扰，指代的是某些天气和人们购买活动的相关性，但未提及这种相关性是否是直接的，且相关性引起商品在消费者心中价值上升这种说法过于模糊，故B项排除。录音中提到的提高商品价值的原因是心理上所想象的画面（This mental picture），是消费者在想象自己使用商品，C项“个人的联想”（Individual association）太过宽泛，故排除。
11、Question 11 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、Enabling them to simplify their mathematical formulas.
B、Helping them determine what to sell and at what price.
C、Enabling them to sell their products at a higher price.
D、Helping them advertise a greater variety of products.
解析：
听力原文
Weather is a constant force in our lives, but there’s little marketing research on how it affects businesses. (9) [Now, a new study reveals how sunny and snowy conditions influence consumer behavior. Those weather conditions trigger consumers to mentally visualize using products associated with the respective weather. This leads to consumers placing a higher value on those products.] That is, they’re willing to pay more money for them. But the correlation is only found with products related to being outside.
How does this work? Researchers give the example of a beach towel. On a sunny day, consumers who see that product are not just looking at the towel itself. They are likely imagining themselves lying on the towel in the sun. (10) [This mental picture of using the towel increases the value of the product in the consumers’ mind.]
Researchers put forward the following hypothesis to explain their findings. They think the mental picture works in sunshine and snow because these weather conditions have a positive association with outside activities. The effect is not seen with rainy weather. Researchers assert this is because there aren’t many activities that are enabled by rain. Most products associated with rain like umbrellas are only used for protection from the weather and not for any activities.
Researchers believe that companies that sell a wide array of products online can benefit most from the insights this study provides. (11) [Online sellers often use complex mathematical formulas to determine what products to feature and how to price these products. Incorporating more data about weather would allow them to make better decisions.] This could bolster sales.
11. How can the findings of the new study benefit online sellers, according to the researchers?（根据研究人员的说法，新研究的结论能如何使网店卖家受益？）
解析：B。四个选项均以含义相近的Enabling them或Helping them开头，推测问题可能与某事产生的积极效果有关。录音最后提到，网店卖家通常使用复杂的数学公式来确定应该促销哪些商品，以及如何给这些商品定价。把更多关于天气的数据考虑在内可以帮助他们更好地决策。B项与此内容相符，其中determine为原词复现，what to sell对应录音中的what products to feature，at what price对应录音中的how to price these products，故B项为正确答案。
错项排除：A项利用录音中出现的complex mathematical formulas设置干扰，但录音中说的是卖家使用复杂的数学公式来确定销售策略，而他们现在可以把相关的天气数据结论也考虑在内，并不是说这些结论可以简化数学公式，故A项错误。C项利用录音中出现的how to price these products设置干扰，但录音中只是说与天气相关的数据结论能帮助卖家更好地决策，并能提高销量，这不等同于说这些结论能帮他们把商品卖得更贵，故C项排除。录音中说网上售卖多种商品（a wide array of products）的公司可以从中受益，D项利用a greater variety of products（更多种类的商品）设置干扰，但录音中并未提到推广更多种类的商品，故排除D项。
12、Question 12 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、A naturally ventilated office is more comfortable.
B、A cool office will boost employees’ productivity.
C、Office air-conditioning should follow guidebooks.
D、Air-conditioning improves ventilation in the office.
解析：
听力原文
Setting the office air-conditioning at about 22 degrees Celsius has become standard practice across the world. Numerous guidebooks across the world on heating, ventilation and air-conditioning claim office performance peaks at 22 degrees. Many people indeed find relief from soaring summer temperatures in air-conditioned offices, (12) [but recent studies have challenged the accepted wisdom that a cool office is more productive: the reality is more complex.]
Researchers conducted a review of all studies relating to air-conditioning and productivity. They found that 22 degrees was probably a little chilly, even at the height of summer. (13) [For a person dressed in typical summer clothing, an optimal range would be between 23 and 26 degrees.] And people can even tolerate temperatures beyond this “comfort zone”, as long as they can adjust their clothing and expectations. (14) [In fact, even on very hot days, it makes sense to turn the air-conditioning up.] People often chase just one “optimum” temperature. And this is understandable when people feel hot, (14) [but there is a range of at least 3 to 4 degrees which does not have any adverse impact.]
Another issue related to this is that people can become psychologically dependent on air-conditioning. (15) [If they are used to the environment which is air-conditioned, they tend to prefer lower temperatures.] But the studies found that almost all humans became accustomed to the new temperature. It was only at the “extreme” ends of the temperature range where people’s productivity suffered. This range was above 26 degrees and below 19 degrees.
12. What is the accepted wisdom concerning the office environment?（关于办公室环境，人们普遍接受的观点是什么？）
解析：B。录音前半部分提到，最近一项研究对“凉爽的办公室中效率更高”这一人们普遍接受的观点提出了质疑：实际情况其实要更复杂。也就是说，人们普遍认为在凉爽的办公室中工作效率更高。B项与此内容相符，其中A cool office为原词复现，boost employees’ productivity是对录音中的is more productive的同义替换，故B项为正确答案。
错项排除：A项利用ventilated设置干扰，录音中虽然提到了通风（ventilation），但只是说世界上无数供热系统、通风系统和空调的说明书都称，办公室的最佳温度是22度，并没有提到办公室中自然通风更舒适，故A项排除。录音中只提到说明书建议办公室的最佳温度是22度，没有提到人们普遍认为办公室的空调应该按照说明书调节温度，C项属于过度引申，故错误。录音中是将空调系统和通风系统作为并列的两种设备进行说明的，没有提到开空调能改善办公室的通风，D项只是利用Air-conditioning和ventilation进行细节拼凑，故排除。
13、Question 13 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、People in their comfort zone of temperature are more satisfied with their productivity.
B、People in different countries vary in their tolerance to uncomfortable temperatures.
C、Twenty-two degrees is the optimal temperature for office workers.
D、There is a range of temperatures for people to feel comfortable.
解析：
听力原文
Setting the office air-conditioning at about 22 degrees Celsius has become standard practice across the world. Numerous guidebooks across the world on heating, ventilation and air-conditioning claim office performance peaks at 22 degrees. Many people indeed find relief from soaring summer temperatures in air-conditioned offices, (12) [but recent studies have challenged the accepted wisdom that a cool office is more productive: the reality is more complex.]
Researchers conducted a review of all studies relating to air-conditioning and productivity. They found that 22 degrees was probably a little chilly, even at the height of summer. (13) [For a person dressed in typical summer clothing, an optimal range would be between 23 and 26 degrees.] And people can even tolerate temperatures beyond this “comfort zone”, as long as they can adjust their clothing and expectations. (14) [In fact, even on very hot days, it makes sense to turn the air-conditioning up.] People often chase just one “optimum” temperature. And this is understandable when people feel hot, (14) [but there is a range of at least 3 to 4 degrees which does not have any adverse impact.]
Another issue related to this is that people can become psychologically dependent on air-conditioning. (15) [If they are used to the environment which is air-conditioned, they tend to prefer lower temperatures.] But the studies found that almost all humans became accustomed to the new temperature. It was only at the “extreme” ends of the temperature range where people’s productivity suffered. This range was above 26 degrees and below 19 degrees.
13. What did researchers find from their review of all studies relating to air-conditioning and productivity?（研究人员通过回顾空调和工作效率的相关研究，得出了什么结论？）
解析：D。录音中间部分提到，23度到26度之间对穿正常夏装的人来说是最舒适的温度。D项与此内容相符，其中a range of temperatures对应录音中的between 23 and 26 degrees，to feel comfortable对应录音中的an optimal range，故D项为正确答案。
错项排除：录音中只是提到关于空调和工作效率的研究的一些回顾总结，并没有提到人们在什么情况下对自己的工作效率更满意，A项只是利用录音中出现的comfort zone、temperature和productivity进行细节拼凑，故排除。录音没有提到不同国家的人（People in different countries）承受温度的能力，故B项排除。录音中提到即使是在最热的时候，空调开到22度可能也有点冷，否定了22度是最佳温度这一传统观点，C项内容与录音相悖，故排除。
14、Question 14 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、It will have no negative impact on work.
B、It will be immediately noticeable.
C、It will sharply decrease work efficiency.
D、It will cause a lot of discomfort.
解析：
听力原文
Setting the office air-conditioning at about 22 degrees Celsius has become standard practice across the world. Numerous guidebooks across the world on heating, ventilation and air-conditioning claim office performance peaks at 22 degrees. Many people indeed find relief from soaring summer temperatures in air-conditioned offices, (12) [but recent studies have challenged the accepted wisdom that a cool office is more productive: the reality is more complex.]
Researchers conducted a review of all studies relating to air-conditioning and productivity. They found that 22 degrees was probably a little chilly, even at the height of summer. (13) [For a person dressed in typical summer clothing, an optimal range would be between 23 and 26 degrees.] And people can even tolerate temperatures beyond this “comfort zone”, as long as they can adjust their clothing and expectations. (14) [In fact, even on very hot days, it makes sense to turn the air-conditioning up.] People often chase just one “optimum” temperature. And this is understandable when people feel hot, (14) [but there is a range of at least 3 to 4 degrees which does not have any adverse impact.]
Another issue related to this is that people can become psychologically dependent on air-conditioning. (15) [If they are used to the environment which is air-conditioned, they tend to prefer lower temperatures.] But the studies found that almost all humans became accustomed to the new temperature. It was only at the “extreme” ends of the temperature range where people’s productivity suffered. This range was above 26 degrees and below 19 degrees.
14. What do we learn about using a little less air-conditioning during hot weather?（关于在炎热天气少用一点空调，我们能了解到什么？）
解析：A。四个选项均以It will开头，包含impact、decrease、cause等词，推测问题可能涉及某事物的影响。录音后半部分提到，即使是在非常炎热的时候，调高空调温度也是有道理的。随后又解释道，在最佳温度上下至少3到4度的范围内调整温度不会产生任何负面影响。题干中的using a little less air-conditioning（少用一点空调）对应录音中的turn the air-conditioning up（把空调温度调高），A项中的no negative impact对应录音中的does not have any adverse impact，故A项正确。
错项排除：录音中说在温度范围内调节空调温度不会有任何负面影响，其他三项内容与此相悖，故均可排除。
15、Question 15 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、They tend to favor lower temperatures.
B、They suffer from rapid temperature changes.
C、They are not bothered by temperature extremes.
D、They become less sensitive to high temperatures.
解析：
听力原文
Setting the office air-conditioning at about 22 degrees Celsius has become standard practice across the world. Numerous guidebooks across the world on heating, ventilation and air-conditioning claim office performance peaks at 22 degrees. Many people indeed find relief from soaring summer temperatures in air-conditioned offices, (12) [but recent studies have challenged the accepted wisdom that a cool office is more productive: the reality is more complex.]
Researchers conducted a review of all studies relating to air-conditioning and productivity. They found that 22 degrees was probably a little chilly, even at the height of summer. (13) [For a person dressed in typical summer clothing, an optimal range would be between 23 and 26 degrees.] And people can even tolerate temperatures beyond this “comfort zone”, as long as they can adjust their clothing and expectations. (14) [In fact, even on very hot days, it makes sense to turn the air-conditioning up.] People often chase just one “optimum” temperature. And this is understandable when people feel hot, (14) [but there is a range of at least 3 to 4 degrees which does not have any adverse impact.]
Another issue related to this is that people can become psychologically dependent on air-conditioning. (15) [If they are used to the environment which is air-conditioned, they tend to prefer lower temperatures.] But the studies found that almost all humans became accustomed to the new temperature. It was only at the “extreme” ends of the temperature range where people’s productivity suffered. This range was above 26 degrees and below 19 degrees.
15. What happens when people are used to an air-conditioned environment?（人们在习惯空调环境后会发生什么？）
解析：A。四个选项均以They开头，后面跟了不同的动宾短语，且都出现了temperature(s)，推测题目可能会问到某一群体对温度的感觉。录音最后提到，人们会在心理上依赖空调，如果适应了开空调的环境，他们会更喜欢低些的温度。A项内容与此相符，其中favor是录音中prefer的同义替换，lower temperatures为原词复现，故A项为正确答案。
错项排除：B、C两项分别利用录音结尾的suffered和extreme设置干扰，但录音中提到的是温度达到极点时人们才会感到不适，B项中的rapid temperature changes（温度的快速改变）在录音中未提及，C项内容与录音表述相悖，故B、C两项排除。录音中只是说人们对相对低的温度不那么敏感了，没有提到他们对高温是否敏感，故D项排除。
16、Question 16 is based on the recording you have just heard.
A、It overlooked the possibility that emotions may be controlled.
B、It ignored the fact that emotions are personal and subjective.
C、It classified emotions simply as either positive or negative.
D、It measured positive and negative emotions independently.
解析：
听力原文
Psychology research has tended to portray solitude as a negative experience. Studies conducted in the 1970s and 1990s suggested that people felt less happy when alone as compared to being with others. However, a new paper shows an alternative view of solitude, one in which solitude can be positive.
Let’s start by looking at the earlier research. It had a couple of shortcomings. First, it measured emotion on a scale from positive to negative, overlooking the possibility that the positive and negative emotions can fluctuate independently. (16) [Also, it categorized emotions as simply positive or negative.] It didn’t consider that emotions arouse us to different degrees and that both positive and negative emotions can arouse us a lot or little. That is, whether positive or negative, emotions can be either high arousal or low arousal. High arousal emotions include excitement on the positive side or anger on the negative side, while low arousal ones include feeling calm on the positive side or lonely on the negative.
This new research attempted to overcome these shortcomings. Researchers began with a simple study: they asked participants to spend fifteen minutes sitting alone without engaging in any activity and measured how this solitude influenced their emotional state. (17) [This experiment specifically aimed to determine the effect of solitude on high arousal emotions.] It looked at positive emotions such as being excited or interested, and negative emotions, including being scared or distressed.
The results were clear. (17) [After fifteen minutes of solitude, the participants showed reductions in both types of emotion.] A second study measured the effects of solitude on low arousal emotions. These included both positive and negative emotions such as feeling calm, relaxed, sad or lonely. (18) [That experiment found that all of these emotions were increased by time alone.] Thus, it seems past depictions of solitude were wrong. It doesn’t have a simple emotional effect that can be characterized as good or bad. Rather, it changes the intensity of our inner experience. (18) [It amplifies quieter emotions, but it diminishes the intensity of stronger feelings.] It’s worth clarifying that these findings relate to relatively brief periods of solitude. This is distinct from prolonged loneliness. Research has demonstrated that the latter is correlated with an assortment of negative physical and psychological effects.
How can people benefit from being alone? The findings here suggest that people can use solitude to regulate their emotions. Solitude can help us become quiet after excitement, calm after an angry episode, or simply feel at peace.
16. What is one of the criticisms directed at the early research on solitude?（关于“独处”的早期研究受到了什么批评？）
解析：C。录音前半部分提到，早期对独处的研究有两个缺点，一个是用从积极到消极的等级来测量情绪，另一个是简单地把情绪分为积极和消极两类。C项内容与录音中提到的第二个缺点相符，其中C项的classified是录音中categorized的同义替换，positive or negative为原词复现，故C项正确。
错项排除：录音中提到了情绪波动的可能性（possibility），但没有提到情绪受到控制的可能性，故A项排除。B项中的personal和subjective在录音中没有提及，故排除。录音中提到的早期研究的第一个缺点是把情绪从积极到消极用等级衡量，而忽略了两种情绪各自波动的可能性；并不是把积极情绪和消极情绪分开测量，D项利用录音中的measured、positive and negative emotions和independently进行细节拼凑，故错误。
17、Question 17 is based on the recording you have just heard.
A、Sitting alone without doing anything seemed really distressing.
B、Solitude adversely affected the participants’ mental well-being.
C、Siting alone for 15 minutes made the participants restless.
D、Solitude had a reductive effect on high-arousal emotions.
解析：
听力原文
Psychology research has tended to portray solitude as a negative experience. Studies conducted in the 1970s and 1990s suggested that people felt less happy when alone as compared to being with others. However, a new paper shows an alternative view of solitude, one in which solitude can be positive.
Let’s start by looking at the earlier research. It had a couple of shortcomings. First, it measured emotion on a scale from positive to negative, overlooking the possibility that the positive and negative emotions can fluctuate independently. (16) [Also, it categorized emotions as simply positive or negative.] It didn’t consider that emotions arouse us to different degrees and that both positive and negative emotions can arouse us a lot or little. That is, whether positive or negative, emotions can be either high arousal or low arousal. High arousal emotions include excitement on the positive side or anger on the negative side, while low arousal ones include feeling calm on the positive side or lonely on the negative.
This new research attempted to overcome these shortcomings. Researchers began with a simple study: they asked participants to spend fifteen minutes sitting alone without engaging in any activity and measured how this solitude influenced their emotional state. (17) [This experiment specifically aimed to determine the effect of solitude on high arousal emotions.] It looked at positive emotions such as being excited or interested, and negative emotions, including being scared or distressed.
The results were clear. (17) [After fifteen minutes of solitude, the participants showed reductions in both types of emotion.] A second study measured the effects of solitude on low arousal emotions. These included both positive and negative emotions such as feeling calm, relaxed, sad or lonely. (18) [That experiment found that all of these emotions were increased by time alone.] Thus, it seems past depictions of solitude were wrong. It doesn’t have a simple emotional effect that can be characterized as good or bad. Rather, it changes the intensity of our inner experience. (18) [It amplifies quieter emotions, but it diminishes the intensity of stronger feelings.] It’s worth clarifying that these findings relate to relatively brief periods of solitude. This is distinct from prolonged loneliness. Research has demonstrated that the latter is correlated with an assortment of negative physical and psychological effects.
How can people benefit from being alone? The findings here suggest that people can use solitude to regulate their emotions. Solitude can help us become quiet after excitement, calm after an angry episode, or simply feel at peace.
17. What do we learn about the results of the new research?（我们从新研究的结果中能了解到什么？）
解析：D。录音中间介绍了新研究的目标：确定独处对高唤醒情绪的影响，并对积极的情绪（如兴奋或感兴趣）和消极的情绪（如害怕或愁苦）进行观察。随后又提到了研究结果：独处15分钟后，参与者的这两种情绪都有所缓解。D项中的high-arousal emotions就是录音中提到的both types of emotion中的一种，a reductive effect对应录音中的showed reductions，故D项为正确答案。
错项排除：录音中没有对独自坐着，不做任何事情作出主观评价，故A项排除。录音中提到长期孤独（prolonged loneliness）与一系列负面的生理和心理影响密切相关，并不是说任何形式的独处（solitude）对参与者都有负面的心理影响，故B项排除。录音中也没有提到参与者焦躁不安（restless），故C项排除。
18、Question 18 is based on the recording you have just heard.
A、It proved hard to depict objectively.
B、It went hand in hand with sadness.
C、It helped increase low-arousal emotions.
D、It tended to intensify negative emotions.
解析：
听力原文
Psychology research has tended to portray solitude as a negative experience. Studies conducted in the 1970s and 1990s suggested that people felt less happy when alone as compared to being with others. However, a new paper shows an alternative view of solitude, one in which solitude can be positive.
Let’s start by looking at the earlier research. It had a couple of shortcomings. First, it measured emotion on a scale from positive to negative, overlooking the possibility that the positive and negative emotions can fluctuate independently. (16) [Also, it categorized emotions as simply positive or negative.] It didn’t consider that emotions arouse us to different degrees and that both positive and negative emotions can arouse us a lot or little. That is, whether positive or negative, emotions can be either high arousal or low arousal. High arousal emotions include excitement on the positive side or anger on the negative side, while low arousal ones include feeling calm on the positive side or lonely on the negative.
This new research attempted to overcome these shortcomings. Researchers began with a simple study: they asked participants to spend fifteen minutes sitting alone without engaging in any activity and measured how this solitude influenced their emotional state. (17) [This experiment specifically aimed to determine the effect of solitude on high arousal emotions.] It looked at positive emotions such as being excited or interested, and negative emotions, including being scared or distressed.
The results were clear. (17) [After fifteen minutes of solitude, the participants showed reductions in both types of emotion.] A second study measured the effects of solitude on low arousal emotions. These included both positive and negative emotions such as feeling calm, relaxed, sad or lonely. (18) [That experiment found that all of these emotions were increased by time alone.] Thus, it seems past depictions of solitude were wrong. It doesn’t have a simple emotional effect that can be characterized as good or bad. Rather, it changes the intensity of our inner experience. (18) [It amplifies quieter emotions, but it diminishes the intensity of stronger feelings.] It’s worth clarifying that these findings relate to relatively brief periods of solitude. This is distinct from prolonged loneliness. Research has demonstrated that the latter is correlated with an assortment of negative physical and psychological effects.
How can people benefit from being alone? The findings here suggest that people can use solitude to regulate their emotions. Solitude can help us become quiet after excitement, calm after an angry episode, or simply feel at peace.
18. What did the second experiment in the new research find about solitude?（新研究的第二项实验得出了关于独处的什么结论？）
解析：C。录音后半部分讲到，实验发现，所有这些低唤醒情绪都只随着独处时间的增加而增长。C项与此内容一致，其中的helped increase对应录音中的were increased，故C项正确。
错项排除：录音中提到，第二项实验研究的是独处对低唤醒情绪的影响，并发现所有这些情绪都会随着独处时间的增加而增长，它会改变我们体验的强度。这是对独处的客观描述，A项与此相悖，故排除。录音结尾部分提到，长期孤独会导致一系列负面的生理和心理影响，但也提到短暂的独处有助于人们调节情绪，并没有提到独处时一定会悲伤，故B项排除。录音只是说长时间孤独与一系列负面影响相关，这并不等同于任何形式的独处（solitude）都会加剧负面情绪，D项利用intensify、negative和emotions进行干扰，属于细节拼凑，应排除。
19、Question 19 is based on the recording you have just heard.
A、It uses up much less energy than it does in deep thinking.
B、It remains inactive without burning calories noticeably.
C、It continues to burn up calories to help us stay in shape.
D、It consumes almost a quarter of the body’s total energy.
解析：
听力原文
In 1984, the World Chess Championship was called off abruptly due to the withered frame of a player who was competing for the title. He wasn’t alone in experiencing extreme physical effects of the game. Elite players can reportedly burn up to an absurd six thousand calories in one day.
Does that mean that thinking harder is a simple route to losing weight? Well, (19) [when the body is at rest, we know that the brain uses up a startling 20% to 25% of the body’s overall energy.] This level of utilization actually makes the brain the most energy-expensive organ in the body, and yet it makes up only 2% of the body’s weight overall.
So the more we put this organ to work, the more calories we’ll burn? Technically, the answer is yes, for cognitively difficult tasks. What counts as a “difficult” mental task varies between individuals. But generally, it could be described as something that “the brain cannot solve easily using previously learned routines, or tasks that change the conditions continuously”. However, deep thinking will not burn off the calories gained from eating a sugary snack. Because in relation to the brain’s huge overall energy usage, which is devoted to a multitude of tasks, the energy required just to think harder is actually comparatively tiny. (20) [We are unconscious of most of what uses up the brain’s energy—a lot of that activity is unrelated to conscious activities like learning how to sing or play the guitar.]
(21) [The brain is able to allocate blood and thus energy to particular regions that are being active at that point. But the overall energy availability in the brain is thought to be constant.] So, while there might be significant increases in energy use at localized regions of the brain when we perform difficult cognitive tasks, when it comes to the whole brain’s energy budget overall, these activities don’t significantly alter it.
So why did the chess champion grow too skinny to compete in his chess competition? The general consensus is that it mostly comes down to stress and reduced food consumption, not mental exhaustion. Keeping your body pumped up for action for long periods of time is very energy-demanding. If you can’t eat as often or as much as you can or would normally, then you might lose weight.
19. What do we learn about the brain when the body is at rest?（关于身体休息时的大脑活动，我们可以了解到什么？）
解析：D。录音前半部分提到，当身体处于休息状态时，大脑消耗的能量占身体耗能的20%-25%。D项与此内容相符，其中almost a quarter对应录音中的20% to 25%，the body’s total energy对应录音中的the body’s overall energy，故D项为正确答案。
错项排除：A项利用录音中出现的deep thinking设置干扰，但录音中只提到了从含糖零食中所摄取的能量是不能仅靠深度思考来完全消耗掉的，没有将大脑休息时和深度思考时的能量消耗作对比，故A项错误。录音中提到了休息时（at rest）大脑消耗的能量占比，还提到了大脑的能量消耗并不会因为一些活动而产生显著（significantly）变化，B项利用inactive与at rest、noticeably与significantly的对应来设置干扰，属于细节拼凑，故排除。录音中提到，虽然大脑总共消耗的能量巨大，但仅通过努力思考所消耗的能量相比之下其实很少，由此可知，仅靠脑力活动来减肥或保持身材并不现实，故C项排除。
20、Question 20 is based on the recording you have just heard.
A、Much of the consumption has nothing to do with conscious activities.
B、It has something to do with the difficulty of the activities in question.
C、Energy usage devoted to active learning accounts for a big part of it.
D、A significant amount of it is for performing difficult cognitive tasks.
解析：
听力原文
In 1984, the World Chess Championship was called off abruptly due to the withered frame of a player who was competing for the title. He wasn’t alone in experiencing extreme physical effects of the game. Elite players can reportedly burn up to an absurd six thousand calories in one day.
Does that mean that thinking harder is a simple route to losing weight? Well, (19) [when the body is at rest, we know that the brain uses up a startling 20% to 25% of the body’s overall energy.] This level of utilization actually makes the brain the most energy-expensive organ in the body, and yet it makes up only 2% of the body’s weight overall.
So the more we put this organ to work, the more calories we’ll burn? Technically, the answer is yes, for cognitively difficult tasks. What counts as a “difficult” mental task varies between individuals. But generally, it could be described as something that “the brain cannot solve easily using previously learned routines, or tasks that change the conditions continuously”. However, deep thinking will not burn off the calories gained from eating a sugary snack. Because in relation to the brain’s huge overall energy usage, which is devoted to a multitude of tasks, the energy required just to think harder is actually comparatively tiny. (20) [We are unconscious of most of what uses up the brain’s energy—a lot of that activity is unrelated to conscious activities like learning how to sing or play the guitar.]
(21) [The brain is able to allocate blood and thus energy to particular regions that are being active at that point. But the overall energy availability in the brain is thought to be constant.] So, while there might be significant increases in energy use at localized regions of the brain when we perform difficult cognitive tasks, when it comes to the whole brain’s energy budget overall, these activities don’t significantly alter it.
So why did the chess champion grow too skinny to compete in his chess competition? The general consensus is that it mostly comes down to stress and reduced food consumption, not mental exhaustion. Keeping your body pumped up for action for long periods of time is very energy-demanding. If you can’t eat as often or as much as you can or would normally, then you might lose weight.
20. What does the speaker say about the consumption of the brain’s energy?（关于大脑消耗的能量，讲话者说了什么？）
解析：A。录音中间提到，我们不知道大脑消耗的大部分能量用在了哪些活动上——其实很多活动都与学唱歌或学弹吉他这类有意识的活动无关。A项与此内容相符，其中has nothing to do with对应录音中的is unrelated to，conscious activities为原词复现，故A项为正确答案。
错项排除：录音中间部分提出了问题：是不是我们越使用大脑，我们消耗的卡路里就越多呢？随后给出答案：当大脑在执行高难度的认知任务时，答案是肯定的。B项干扰性较强，录音中提到cognitively difficult tasks（高难度的认知任务），但录音中只是问消耗的卡路里是不是就越多，并没有特指是大脑消耗的卡路里，故B项错误。录音中提到，我们并不知道大脑能量消耗占比较大的活动都有哪些，所以主动的学习和完成高难度的认知任务所消耗的能量占大脑总能量消耗的比例尚未可知，C、D项与录音内容相悖，故排除。
21、Question 21 is based on the recording you have just heard.
A、It is believed to remain basically constant.
B、It is a prerequisite for any mental activity.
C、It is conducive to relieving mental exhaustion.
D、It is thought to be related to food consumption.
解析：
听力原文
In 1984, the World Chess Championship was called off abruptly due to the withered frame of a player who was competing for the title. He wasn’t alone in experiencing extreme physical effects of the game. Elite players can reportedly burn up to an absurd six thousand calories in one day.
Does that mean that thinking harder is a simple route to losing weight? Well, (19) [when the body is at rest, we know that the brain uses up a startling 20% to 25% of the body’s overall energy.] This level of utilization actually makes the brain the most energy-expensive organ in the body, and yet it makes up only 2% of the body’s weight overall.
So the more we put this organ to work, the more calories we’ll burn? Technically, the answer is yes, for cognitively difficult tasks. What counts as a “difficult” mental task varies between individuals. But generally, it could be described as something that “the brain cannot solve easily using previously learned routines, or tasks that change the conditions continuously”. However, deep thinking will not burn off the calories gained from eating a sugary snack. Because in relation to the brain’s huge overall energy usage, which is devoted to a multitude of tasks, the energy required just to think harder is actually comparatively tiny. (20) [We are unconscious of most of what uses up the brain’s energy—a lot of that activity is unrelated to conscious activities like learning how to sing or play the guitar.]
(21) [The brain is able to allocate blood and thus energy to particular regions that are being active at that point. But the overall energy availability in the brain is thought to be constant.] So, while there might be significant increases in energy use at localized regions of the brain when we perform difficult cognitive tasks, when it comes to the whole brain’s energy budget overall, these activities don’t significantly alter it.
So why did the chess champion grow too skinny to compete in his chess competition? The general consensus is that it mostly comes down to stress and reduced food consumption, not mental exhaustion. Keeping your body pumped up for action for long periods of time is very energy-demanding. If you can’t eat as often or as much as you can or would normally, then you might lose weight.
21. What do we learn about the overall energy availability in the brain?（关于大脑总体的能量供应，我们可以了解到什么？）
解析：A。录音结尾提到，当我们执行高难度的认知任务时，大脑局部区域的能量消耗可能会显著增加，但整个大脑的能量消耗并不会因这些活动而产生显著变化。也就是说，大脑使用的总体能量是基本恒定的，A项内容与此相符，其中is believed to remain是对录音中is thought to be的同义替换，constant为原词复现，故A项为正确答案。
错项排除：全篇录音围绕思考活动和能量消耗展开，但没有提到大脑总体的能量使用是一切心理活动的必要条件（prerequisite），B项只是利用录音中出现的mental和activity进行拼凑，故排除。录音结尾虽然再次提到国际象棋选手消瘦的原因，但只是分析了可能的原因：压力太大、进食减少，并不能说明大脑的能量消耗能帮助缓解精神疲劳，也不能得出能量供应与进食相关，故C、D两项排除。
22、Question 22 is based on the recording you have just heard.
A、Job candidates rarely take it seriously.
B、Job seekers tend to have a ready answer.
C、Job seekers often feel at a loss where to start in answering it.
D、Job candidates can respond freely due to its open-ended nature.
解析：
听力原文
(22) [“Tell me about yourself” may seem like an easy job interview question, but the open-ended nature of this question often leaves job seekers at a loss where to start.] This common question is actually a critical test of a job candidate’s communication skills. So it’s important not to give an unprepared response or mess it up.
“Tell me about yourself” is often the first question professional career coaches prepare people for when they give interview guidance. It’s the opportunity for the candidate to take control of the narrative and tell their story in a way that really matters to their audience. It takes hard work and extensive preparation to answer this question well. (23) [When a person goes to a job interview, their interviewer has presumably read the resume, so they don’t need to repeat the information. But that’s what most people will do, as it’s their instinct to recite things that are already on the resume.
It’s important for job seekers to do their homework on two crucial aspects. First, they’re not just telling someone the fact about themselves. They are telling a story, and stories take work to create. Coming up with a good story means getting reflective about what made their career accomplishments, something they’re proud of, and what strengths those accomplishments highlight.
Candidates shouldn’t pick a broad general strength to elaborate on, such as “I’m smart”, “I work hard”, and “I get things done”. (24) [To come up with multiple career accomplishments or examples for different interview questions, job seekers should talk with others, especially people who know them—partners, friends or coworkers, who will bring up different stories from the ones they remember.]
(25) [Secondly, candidates should know what’s at stake for the company with this job opening. What they really are asking you is “Tell me why you’re going to help me”.] If the person is a prepared candidate, they should have already figured out those things——they’ve read the job description and researched the company on the Internet. What job applicants ought to be looking for is what the company is up to, what they’re trying to accomplish and what is preventing them from accomplishing those things.
How long should it take to answer? Around a minute. That’s about right for most people’s attention spans. Under a minute could seem rushed, while over two minutes will start to feel more like a speech. But the length of the answer is not an exact science and candidates need to keep their career story focused and tailored to their audience.
22. What does the speaker say about the job interview question “Tell me about yourself”?（关于“跟我聊聊你自己吧”这个问题，讲话者说了什么？）
解析：C。四个选项均以Job candidates或Job seekers（求职者）开头，推测问题可能与求职者遇到的问题有关。录音开头提到，“跟我聊聊你自己吧”似乎是一个简单的面试问题，但这个问题是开放性的，经常让面试者不知从何说起。C项内容与此相符，其中at a loss和where to start为原词复现，故C项为正确答案。
错项排除：A、B两项利用录音中提到的it’s important not to give an unprepared response（一定不能毫无准备就回答）设置干扰，但录音中这句话是给求职者的告诫，并没有提到求职者不认真对待这个问题，也没有提到求职者本身是否准备好了这个问题的答案，故这两项可排除。D项利用录音中出现的open-ended nature设置干扰，但并没有说求职者可以自由回答这个问题，因此D项错误。
23、Question 23 is based on the recording you have just heard.
A、Follow their career coaches’ guidelines.
B、Strive to take control of their narrative.
C、Do their best to impress the interviewer.
D、Repeat the information on their resume.
解析：
听力原文
(22) [“Tell me about yourself” may seem like an easy job interview question, but the open-ended nature of this question often leaves job seekers at a loss where to start.] This common question is actually a critical test of a job candidate’s communication skills. So it’s important not to give an unprepared response or mess it up.
“Tell me about yourself” is often the first question professional career coaches prepare people for when they give interview guidance. It’s the opportunity for the candidate to take control of the narrative and tell their story in a way that really matters to their audience. It takes hard work and extensive preparation to answer this question well. (23) [When a person goes to a job interview, their interviewer has presumably read the resume, so they don’t need to repeat the information. But that’s what most people will do, as it’s their instinct to recite things that are already on the resume.
It’s important for job seekers to do their homework on two crucial aspects. First, they’re not just telling someone the fact about themselves. They are telling a story, and stories take work to create. Coming up with a good story means getting reflective about what made their career accomplishments, something they’re proud of, and what strengths those accomplishments highlight.
Candidates shouldn’t pick a broad general strength to elaborate on, such as “I’m smart”, “I work hard”, and “I get things done”. (24) [To come up with multiple career accomplishments or examples for different interview questions, job seekers should talk with others, especially people who know them—partners, friends or coworkers, who will bring up different stories from the ones they remember.]
(25) [Secondly, candidates should know what’s at stake for the company with this job opening. What they really are asking you is “Tell me why you’re going to help me”.] If the person is a prepared candidate, they should have already figured out those things——they’ve read the job description and researched the company on the Internet. What job applicants ought to be looking for is what the company is up to, what they’re trying to accomplish and what is preventing them from accomplishing those things.
How long should it take to answer? Around a minute. That’s about right for most people’s attention spans. Under a minute could seem rushed, while over two minutes will start to feel more like a speech. But the length of the answer is not an exact science and candidates need to keep their career story focused and tailored to their audience.
23. What will most people do when they come to a job interview?（大多数人在参加面试时会怎样？）
解析：D。录音中间部分提到，大多数人都会重复自己简历上的信息，因为这是出于一种本能。D项与此内容相符，对应录音中的recite things that are already on the resume，故D项正确。
错项排除：A项利用录音中出现的career coaches设置干扰，但录音中只是说，“跟我聊聊你自己吧”通常是求职顾问进行面试辅导时让学员准备好回答的第一个问题，并没有提到大多数人会按照求职顾问的指导去做，故A项排除。B项利用录音中提到的take control of the narrative设置干扰，但录音中只是说回答好该问题是求职者把握谈话节奏，并打动听者的一个机会，并没有提到大多数求职者能做到这一点，故B项错误。C项利用常识进行干扰，但录音中没有提到大多数人尝试给面试官留下好印象，故C项排除。
24、Question 24 is based on the recording you have just heard.
A、To reflect on their past achievements as well as failures.
B、To produce examples for different interview questions.
C、To discuss important details they are going to present.
D、To identify a broad general strength to elaborate on.
解析：
听力原文
(22) [“Tell me about yourself” may seem like an easy job interview question, but the open-ended nature of this question often leaves job seekers at a loss where to start.] This common question is actually a critical test of a job candidate’s communication skills. So it’s important not to give an unprepared response or mess it up.
“Tell me about yourself” is often the first question professional career coaches prepare people for when they give interview guidance. It’s the opportunity for the candidate to take control of the narrative and tell their story in a way that really matters to their audience. It takes hard work and extensive preparation to answer this question well. (23) [When a person goes to a job interview, their interviewer has presumably read the resume, so they don’t need to repeat the information. But that’s what most people will do, as it’s their instinct to recite things that are already on the resume.
It’s important for job seekers to do their homework on two crucial aspects. First, they’re not just telling someone the fact about themselves. They are telling a story, and stories take work to create. Coming up with a good story means getting reflective about what made their career accomplishments, something they’re proud of, and what strengths those accomplishments highlight.
Candidates shouldn’t pick a broad general strength to elaborate on, such as “I’m smart”, “I work hard”, and “I get things done”. (24) [To come up with multiple career accomplishments or examples for different interview questions, job seekers should talk with others, especially people who know them—partners, friends or coworkers, who will bring up different stories from the ones they remember.]
(25) [Secondly, candidates should know what’s at stake for the company with this job opening. What they really are asking you is “Tell me why you’re going to help me”.] If the person is a prepared candidate, they should have already figured out those things——they’ve read the job description and researched the company on the Internet. What job applicants ought to be looking for is what the company is up to, what they’re trying to accomplish and what is preventing them from accomplishing those things.
How long should it take to answer? Around a minute. That’s about right for most people’s attention spans. Under a minute could seem rushed, while over two minutes will start to feel more like a speech. But the length of the answer is not an exact science and candidates need to keep their career story focused and tailored to their audience.
24. Why should job seekers talk with partners, friends and coworkers?（为什么求职者应该去找伴侣、朋友和同事谈话？）
解析：B。四个选项均以不定式开头，推测问题可能涉及某事的目的。录音中间提到，要用实例说明自己在职场上的多项成就，或以此方式回答不同的面试问题，求职者需要找其他人去谈谈，尤其要找了解他们的人，比如伴侣、朋友或同事，因为这些人能讲出与他们自己记忆中不同的故事。也就是说，求职者找别人谈话是为了针对不同的面试问题举实例来回答。B项与此内容相符，其中produce examples对应录音中的come up with...examples，different interview questions为原词复现，故B项为正确答案。
错项排除：A项利用reflect、achievements和录音中提到的reflective、career accomplishments的对应关系设置干扰，但录音中说的是如果要在面试中讲好自己的故事，就要反思自己职业生涯中的成就、引以为傲的事，但这并不是求职者应该去找伴侣、朋友和同事谈话的原因，也没有提到求职者应该反思自己的失败，故A项错误。录音中说找人谈话是因为他们能讲出与自己记忆中不同的故事，从而为面试做准备，C项属于根据常识作出的主观臆断，与录音内容无关，故排除。D项利用录音中出现的a broad general strength设置干扰，但录音中说的是求职者不应该讲过于宽泛、普遍的优点，D项内容与此意思相悖，故排除。
25、Question 25 is based on the recording you have just heard.
A、Getting acquainted with the human resources personnel.
B、Finding out why the company provides the job opening.
C、Figuring out what benefits the company is able to offer them.
D、Tailoring their expectations to the company’s long-term goal.
解析：
听力原文
(22) [“Tell me about yourself” may seem like an easy job interview question, but the open-ended nature of this question often leaves job seekers at a loss where to start.] This common question is actually a critical test of a job candidate’s communication skills. So it’s important not to give an unprepared response or mess it up.
“Tell me about yourself” is often the first question professional career coaches prepare people for when they give interview guidance. It’s the opportunity for the candidate to take control of the narrative and tell their story in a way that really matters to their audience. It takes hard work and extensive preparation to answer this question well. (23) [When a person goes to a job interview, their interviewer has presumably read the resume, so they don’t need to repeat the information. But that’s what most people will do, as it’s their instinct to recite things that are already on the resume.
It’s important for job seekers to do their homework on two crucial aspects. First, they’re not just telling someone the fact about themselves. They are telling a story, and stories take work to create. Coming up with a good story means getting reflective about what made their career accomplishments, something they’re proud of, and what strengths those accomplishments highlight.
Candidates shouldn’t pick a broad general strength to elaborate on, such as “I’m smart”, “I work hard”, and “I get things done”. (24) [To come up with multiple career accomplishments or examples for different interview questions, job seekers should talk with others, especially people who know them—partners, friends or coworkers, who will bring up different stories from the ones they remember.]
(25) [Secondly, candidates should know what’s at stake for the company with this job opening. What they really are asking you is “Tell me why you’re going to help me”.] If the person is a prepared candidate, they should have already figured out those things——they’ve read the job description and researched the company on the Internet. What job applicants ought to be looking for is what the company is up to, what they’re trying to accomplish and what is preventing them from accomplishing those things.
How long should it take to answer? Around a minute. That’s about right for most people’s attention spans. Under a minute could seem rushed, while over two minutes will start to feel more like a speech. But the length of the answer is not an exact science and candidates need to keep their career story focused and tailored to their audience.
25. What other important preparations should job seekers make before an interview?（求职者在参加面试前，还需要做其他哪些重要准备？）
解析：B。录音后半部分提到，求职者需要知道空缺职位与公司之间的利害关系。随后还提到面试官想问的是面试者能够怎样帮到公司，面试者应该已经看过岗位描述，在网上搜索过公司信息，也就是说面试者应该了解公司放出这一岗位的原因。B项内容与此相符，其中job opening为原词复现，故B项正确。
错项排除：录音中没有提到人力资源人员（human resources personnel），故A项排除。录音中提到求职者需要回答自己能给公司带来什么好处，而不是求职者需要了解公司给自己带来的好处，故排除C项。录音中虽然提到公司的目标和自己能为公司达成目标做些什么，但并没有说求职者应该以此调整自己的期望，D项中的Tailoring为干扰词，但录音中说的是自己的故事应该保证是为面试官量身定做的（tailored），故D项排除。
二、Part III Reading Comprehension
The idea of taxing things that are bad for society has a powerful allure. It offers the possibility of a double benefit —(26)_____ harmful activities, while also providing the government with revenue.
Take sin taxes. Taxes on alcohol make it more expensive to get drunk, which reduces excessive drinking and (27)_____ driving. At the same time, they provide state and local governments with billions of dollars of revenue. Tobacco taxes, which generate more than twice as much, have proven (28)_____ in the decline of smoking, which has saved millions of lives.
Taxes can also be an important tool for environmental protection, and many economists say taxing carbon would be the best way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Economic theory says that unlike income or sales taxes, carbon taxes can actually increase economic efficiency; because companies that (29)_____ carbon dioxide into the sky don’t pay the costs of the climate change they cause, carbon taxes would restore the proper (30)_____ to the market.
In reality, carbon taxes alone won’t be enough to halt global warming, but they would be a useful part of any climate plan. What’s more, the revenue from this tax, which would (31)_____ be hundreds of billions of dollars per year, could be handed out to citizens as a (32)_____ or used to fund green infrastructure projects.
Similarly, a wealth tax has been put forward as a way to reduce inequality while raising revenue. The revenue from this tax, which some experts (33)_____ will be over $4 trillion per decade, would be designated for housing, child care, health care and other government benefits. If you believe, as many do, that wealth inequality is (34)_____ bad, then these taxes improve society while also (35)_____ government coffers (金库).
26、(1)
A、merging
B、inherently
C、instrumental
D、emotional
E、predict
F、pump
G、probably
H、initially
I、swelling
J、incentives
K、dividend
L、fragments
M、discouraging
N、imprisoned
O、impaired
解析：
名词
dividend 红利；股利
fragments(-s) 碎片；片段
incentives (-s) 激励；刺激
instrumental 器乐曲
pump 抽水机；泵
swelling 肿胀处；浮肿处
动词
discouraging(-ing) 使气馁；阻止
fragments(-s) （使）碎裂；（使）破裂
impaired(-ed) 损害；削弱
imprisoned(-ed) 监禁；限制
merging(-ing) （使）合并；结合
predict 预言；预测
pump 用泵输送；注入
swelling(-ing) 膨胀；增加
形容词
discouraging 使人气馁的
emotional 感情的；情绪的
impaired 受损的；出毛病的
instrumental起重要作用的
副词
inherently 固有地；内在地
initially 最初；起初
probably 很可能；大概
26. discouraging
解析：动词辨析题。空格前为完整的句子，空格后为名词短语，再根据while also providing...可知，空格处应填入动词的现在分词形式，与providing一致，作为while连接的并列结构充当主句的状语。空格所在句说到，它可能会带来双重效益——____有害活动，同时也为政府提供了收入。It指代首句所说的向对社会不利的事物征税这一想法。空格所在句是对“双重效益”的进一步解释，由此可推知，harmful activities（有害活动）应该是被减少或者被阻止的。现在分词的备选项中只有discouraging（使气馁；阻止）符合语境，代入后表示“阻止有害活动”，故应填入discouraging.
27. impaired
解析：形容词辨析题。空格前为短语excessive drinking，空格后为driving，中间由and连接，由此可知excessive drinking和____ driving为并列关系，故空格处应填入形容词作定语修饰driving。空格所在句大意为：对酒精征税使醉酒变得更加昂贵，这会减少过度饮酒和____驾驶情况的发生。形容词备选项中只有impaired符合语境，impaired本意为“受损的；出毛病的”，在这里和driving连用表示“酒后驾驶”，故应填入impaired。
28. instrumental
解析：形容词辨析题。空格前为have proven，proven在此为系动词，表示“证明是”，故空格处应填入形容词作主句的表语。结合句意，烟草税产生的税收收入是酒精税的两倍之多，事实证明，烟草税对减少吸烟____，从而挽救了数百万人的生命。前文说到，征收酒精税能减少过度饮酒和酒后驾驶情况的发生。这里提到烟草税比酒精税的税收还要高，并且挽救了数百万人的生命。由此可知，征收烟草税有助于减少人们吸烟，故空格处应填入instrumental（起重要作用的），代入空格表示烟草税在减少吸烟方面发挥了作用。
29. pump
解析：动词辨析题。空格所在句为修饰companies的定语从句，从句中缺少谓语，而且从句的先行词companies为复数，句子时态为一般现在时，故空格处应填入动词原形。结合句意，经济学理论认为，与所得税或销售税不同，碳税实际上可以提高经济效率；因为向空气里____二氧化碳的公司并没有为其造成的气候变化付出代价。由此可知，空格处应填入和“排放”含义相近的词，动词原形的备选项中只有pump（用泵输送；注入）符合语境，故应填入pump。
30. incentives
解析：名词辨析题。空格所在句缺少宾语，空格前为形容词proper，故空格处应填入名词。结合句意，经济学理论认为，与所得税或销售税不同，碳税实际上可以提高经济效率；因为向空气中排放二氧化碳的公司并没有为其造成的气候变化付出代价，所以征收碳税将恢复对市场的适当____。由此可知，征收碳税是一种刺激市场的手段，名词备选项中incentives（激励；刺激）符合语境，代入表示“对市场的适当激励”，故应填入incentives。
31. probably
解析：副词辨析题。空格所在句成分完整，故空格处应填入副词。结合句意，更重要的是，这项税收（碳税）每年____会带来数千亿美元的收入，副词备选项中只有probably符合语境，代入表示“可能会”，故应填入probably。
32. dividend
解析：名词辨析题。根据空格前的a可知，空格处应填入可数名词的单数形式。结合句意，更重要的是，这项税收每年会有数千亿美元的收入，这些收入可以发放给公民作为一种____，或者用于资助绿色基础设施项目。名词备选项中只有dividend符合语境，代入空格中表示“作为一种红利发放给公民”，故应填入dividend。
33. predict
解析：动词辨析题。空格所在句为which引导的非限制性定语从句，修饰前面的The revenue。空格前为some experts，后面缺少谓语，故空格处应填入动词。结合句意，一些专家____，这项税收的收入每十年将超过4万亿美元。动词备选项中只有predict（预测）符合语境，代入表示“一些专家预测”，故应填入predict。
34. inherently
解析：副词辨析题。空格所在句句子成分完整，故空格处应填入副词。结合句意，如果你和许多人一样，认为财富不平等____是不好的，那么这些税收在改善社会的同时也会____政府的收入。副词备选项中inherently（固有地；内在地）符合语境，代入空格表示“认为财富不平等在本质上是不好的”，故应填入inherently。
35. swelling
解析：动词辨析题。空格位于一个while连接的状语成分中，空格后为名词短语government coffers，可知空格处应填入动词的现在分词形式。结合句意，如果你和许多人一样，认为财富不平等在本质上是不好的，那么这些税收在改善社会的同时也会____政府的收入。前文一直在说，各种税收不仅会避免一些不好的事情发生，而且还会为政府带来高额的税收收入。由此可知，空格处应填入表示“增加”的词，动词备选项中swelling（膨胀；增加）符合语境，代入表示“增加政府的收
入”，故应填入swelling。
27、(2)
A、merging
B、inherently
C、instrumental
D、emotional
E、predict
F、pump
G、probably
H、initially
I、swelling
J、incentives
K、dividend
L、fragments
M、discouraging
N、imprisoned
O、impaired
解析：见上一题！
28、(3)
A、merging
B、inherently
C、instrumental
D、emotional
E、predict
F、pump
G、probably
H、initially
I、swelling
J、incentives
K、dividend
L、fragments
M、discouraging
N、imprisoned
O、impaired
解析：见上一题！
29、(4)
A、merging
B、inherently
C、instrumental
D、emotional
E、predict
F、pump
G、probably
H、initially
I、swelling
J、incentives
K、dividend
L、fragments
M、discouraging
N、imprisoned
O、impaired
解析：见上一题！
30、(5)
A、merging
B、inherently
C、instrumental
D、emotional
E、predict
F、pump
G、probably
H、initially
I、swelling
J、incentives
K、dividend
L、fragments
M、discouraging
N、imprisoned
O、impaired
解析：见上一题！
31、(6)
A、merging
B、inherently
C、instrumental
D、emotional
E、predict
F、pump
G、probably
H、initially
I、swelling
J、incentives
K、dividend
L、fragments
M、discouraging
N、imprisoned
O、impaired
解析：见上一题！
32、(7)
A、merging
B、inherently
C、instrumental
D、emotional
E、predict
F、pump
G、probably
H、initially
I、swelling
J、incentives
K、dividend
L、fragments
M、discouraging
N、imprisoned
O、impaired
解析：见上一题！
33、(8)
A、merging
B、inherently
C、instrumental
D、emotional
E、predict
F、pump
G、probably
H、initially
I、swelling
J、incentives
K、dividend
L、fragments
M、discouraging
N、imprisoned
O、impaired
解析：见上一题！
34、(9)
A、merging
B、inherently
C、instrumental
D、emotional
E、predict
F、pump
G、probably
H、initially
I、swelling
J、incentives
K、dividend
L、fragments
M、discouraging
N、imprisoned
O、impaired
解析：见上一题！
35、(10)
A、merging
B、inherently
C、instrumental
D、emotional
E、predict
F、pump
G、probably
H、initially
I、swelling
J、incentives
K、dividend
L、fragments
M、discouraging
N、imprisoned
O、impaired
解析：见上一题！
The Challenges for Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture
【A】A group of corn farmers stands huddled around an agronomist (农学家) and his computer on the side of an irrigation machine in central South Africa. The agronomist has just flown over the field with a hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that takes off and lands using propellers yet maintains distance and speed for scanning vast hectares of land through the use of its fixed wings.
【B】The UAV is fitted with a four spectral band precision sensor that conducts onboard processing immediately after the flight, allowing farmers and field staff to address, almost immediately, any crop abnormalities that the sensor may have recorded, making the data collection truly real-time.
【C】In this instance, the farmers and agronomist are looking to specialized software to give them an accurate plant population count. It’s been 10 days since the corn emerged and the farmer wants to determine if there are any parts of the field that require replanting due to a lack of emergence or wind damage, which can be severe in the early stages of the summer rainy season.
【D】At this growth stage of the plant’s development, the farmer has another 10 days to conduct any replanting before the majority of his fertilizer and chemical applications need to occur. Once these have been applied, it becomes economically unviable to take corrective action, making any further collected data historical and useful only to inform future practices for the season to come.
【E】The software completes its processing in under 15 minutes producing a plant population count map. It’s difficult to grasp just how impressive this is, without understanding that just over a year ago it would have taken three to five days to process the exact same data set, illustrating the advancements that have been achieved in precision agriculture and remote sensing in recent years. With the software having been developed in the United States on the same variety of crops in seemingly similar conditions, the agronomist feels confident that the software will produce a near accurate result.
【F】As the map appears on the screen, the agronomist’s face begins to drop. Having walked through the planted rows before the flight to gain a physical understanding of the situation on the ground, he knows the instant he sees the data on his screen that the plant count is not correct, and so do the farmers, even with their limited understanding of how to read remote sensing maps.
【G】Hypothetically, it is possible for machines to learn to solve any problem on earth relating to the physical interaction of all things within a defined or contained environment by using artificial intelligence and machine learning.
【H】Remote sensors enable algorithms (算法) to interpret a field’s environment as statistical data that can be understood and useful to farmers for decision-making. Algorithms process the data, adapting and learning based on the data received. The more inputs and statistical information collected, the better the algorithm will be at predicting a range of outcomes. And the aim is that farmers can use this artificial intelligence to achieve their goal of a better harvest through making better decisions in the field.
【I】In 2011, IBM, through its R&D Headquarters in Haifa, Israel, launched an agricultural cloud-computing project. The project, in collaboration with a number of specialized IT and agricultural partners, had one goal in mind—to take a variety of academic and physical data sources from an agricultural environment and turn these into automatic predictive solutions for farmers that would assist them in making real-time decisions in the field.
【J】 Interviews with some of the IBM project team members at the time revealed that the team believed it was entirely possible to “algorithm” agriculture, meaning that algorithms could solve any problem in the world. Earlier that year, IBM’s cognitive learning system, Watson, competed in the game Jeopardy against former winners Brad Rutter and Ken Jennings with astonishing results. Several years later, Watson went on to produce ground-breaking achievements in the field of medicine.
【K】So why did the project have such success in medicine but not agriculture? Because it is one of the most difficult fields to contain for the purpose of statistical quantification. Even within a single field, conditions are always changing from one section to the next. There’s unpredictable weather, changes in soil quality, and the ever-present possibility that pests and diseases may pay a visit. Growers may feel their prospects are good for an upcoming harvest, but until that day arrives, the outcome will always be uncertain.
【L】By comparison, our bodies are a contained environment. Agriculture takes place in nature, among ecosystems of interacting organisms and activity, and crop production takes place within that ecosystem environment. But these ecosystems are not contained. They are subject to climatic occurrences such as weather systems, which impact upon hemispheres as a whole, and from continent to continent. Therefore, understanding how to manage an agricultural environment means taking literally many hundreds if not thousands of factors into account.
【M】What may occur with the same seed and fertilizer program in the United States’ Midwest region is almost certainly unrelated to what may occur with the same seed and fertilizer program in Australia or South Africa. A few factors that could impact on variation would typically include the measurement of rain per unit of a crop planted, soil type, patterns of soil degradation, daylight hours, temperature and so forth.
【O】Practically, to say that AI and Machine Learning can be developed to solve all problems related to our physical environmentto basically say that we have a complete understanding of all aspects of the interaction of physical or material activity on the planet. After all, it is only through our understanding of ‘the nature of things’ that protocols and processes are designed for the rational capabilities of cognitive systems to take place. And, although AI and Machine Learning are teaching us many things about how to understand our environment, we are still far from being able to predict critical outcomes in fields like agriculture purely through the cognitive ability of machines.
【P】Backed by the venture capital community, which is now investing billions of dollars into the sector, most agricultural technology startups today are pushed to complete development as quickly as possible and then encouraged to flood the market as quickly as possible with their products.
【Q】This usually results in a failure of a product, which leads to skepticism from the market and delivers a blow to the integrity of Machine Learning technology. In most cases, the problem is not that the technology does not work, the problem is that industry has not taken the time to respect that agriculture is one of the most uncontained environments to manage. For technology to truly make an impact on agriculture, more effort, skills, and funding is needed to test these technologies in farmers’ fields.【R】There is huge potential for artificial intelligence and machine learning to revolutionize agriculture by integrating these technologies into critical markets on a global scale. Only then can it make a difference to the grower, where it really counts.
36、36. Farmers will not profit from replanting once they have applied most of the fertilizer and other chemicals to their fields.
A、A
B、B
C、C
D、D
E、E
F、F
G、G
H、H
I、I
J、J
K、K
L、L
M、M
N、N
O、O
P、P
Q、Q
R、R
解析：36. 一旦农民在田地里施用了大部分化肥和其他化学制剂，他们就不会从补种中获利。
